1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to certain N-alkyl imidazoles substituted on the alkyl chain by a cyclic thioketal moiety. These compounds are spermicidal and therefore useful as contraceptive agents in male and female mammals. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds as spermicidal and antimicrobial agents and for the prevention and/or treatment of convulsions in mammals. In addition they have utility as thromboxane synthetase inhibitors. This invention also relates to a process for preparing these compounds, to compositions thereof, and to methods of use.
2. Related Disclosure
There are several publications that disclose imidazole compounds which have spermicidal, antimicrobial and anticonvulsant activity. The most pertinent are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,153; 4,101,666; 4,101,665; 4,101,664; 4,078,071; 3,578,999; 3,793,453; German Pat. No. 2,602,770; and British Pat. No. 837,997. Imidazole ketals having spermicidal activity are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,552. There are also two articles which should be noted. One is by Dixon, D. W. et al, Chem. Therapy (Basel) 24 (6), 365-7, 1978 and the second by Godefroi, E. F. et al, J. Med. Chem. 12 (5), 784-91, 1969.